Lion's Kin
by liefwarrior
Summary: When Lionblaze realizes that he is still in love with Heathertail his relationship with Cinderheart begins to sour. He starts meeting Heathertail in secret, but she suddenly stops turning up and Lionblaze isn't sure why. After breaking up with Cinderheart he continues his search for someone to replace Heathertail. Eight moons have passed and a new prophecy has arisen.
1. Chapter 1

**ALLEGIANCES**

THUNDERCLAN

LEADER **BRAMBLESTAR –** dark brown tabby tom with amber eyes

DEPUTY **SQUIRRELFLIGHT** – dark ginger she-cat with green eyes

MEDICINE CAT **JAYFEATHER** – grey tabby tom with blind blue eyes

WARRIORS

 **THORNCLAW** – golden brown tabby tom

 **LEAFPOOL –** light brown tabby she-cat with green eyes

 **SPIDERLEG** – long-limbed black tom with brown underbelly and amber eyes

 **WHITEWING** – white she-cat with green eyes

 **BERRYNOSE –** cream-coloured tom

 **HAZELTAIL** – small grey-and-white she-cat

 **MOUSEWHISKER** – grey-and-white tom

 **LIONBLAZE –** golden tabby tom with amber eyes

 **FOXLEAP** – reddish tabby tom

 **ROSEPETAL** – dark cream she-cat

 **BLOSSOMFALL** – tortoiseshell and white she-cat

 **DOVEWING –** pale grey she-cat with blue eyes

 **POPPYFROST –** tortoiseshell she-cat

 **CHERRYTAIL –** ginger she-cat

 **MOLECLAW –** brown-and-cream tom

QUEENS

 **DAISY –** cream long-furred cat from the horseplace

 **CINDERHEART** – grey tabby she-cat (mother to Hollykit, a black she-cat, Sorrelkit, a dark brown she-cat, and Fernkit, a yellow tabby tom.)

 **ICECLOUD** – white she-cat (mother of Cloudkit, a white tom, Greykit, a grey tabby she-cat, and Eaglekit, a light-brown tabby she-cat.)

 **IVYPOOL** – silver-and-white tabby she-cat (expecting Foxleap's kits)

ELDERS

 **GREYSTRIPE** **–** long-haired grey tom

 **BRACKENFUR** – golden brown tabby tom

 **BRIGHTHEART –** white she-cat with ginger patches

WINDCLAN

LEADER **ONESTAR** – brown tabby tom

DEPUTY **CROWFEATHER –** dark grey tom

MEDICINE CAT **KESTRELFLIGHT –** mottled grey tom

WARRIORS

 **OWLWHISKER** – light brown tabby tom

 **WHITETAIL** – small white she-cat

 **GORSETAIL** – very pale grey-and-white tom with blue eyes

 **WEASELFUR** – ginger tom with white paws

 **HARESPRING** – brown-and-white tom

 **LEAFTAIL** – dark tabby tom, amber eyes

 **EMBERFOOT** – grey tom with two dark paws

 **SEDGEWHISKER** – light brown tabby she-cat

 **SUNSTRIKE** – tortoiseshell she-cat with large white mark on her forehead

 **WHISKERNOSE** – light brown tom

 **FURZEPELT** – grey-and-white she-cat

 **BOULDERFUR** – large, pale grey tom

QUEENS

 **HEATHERTAIL –** light brown tabby she-cat (mother of Darkkit, a dark grey tom, and Blazekit, a golden tabby tom.)

SHADOWCLAN

LEADER **ROWANSTAR** – ginger tom

DEPUTY **RATSCAR –** brown tom with long scar across his back

MEDICINE CAT **LITTLECLOUD –** very small tabby tom

RIVERCLAN

LEADER **MISTYSTAR** – grey she-cat with blue eyes

DEPUTY **REEDWHISKER –** black tom

MEDICINE CAT **MOTHWING –** dappled golden she-cat

 **APPRENTICE, WILLOWSHINE** (grey tabby she-cat)

CATS OUTSIDE THE CLANS

 **SMOKY** – muscular grey-and-white tom who lives in a barn at horseplace

 **FLOSS** – small grey-and-white she-cat who lives at the horseplace

OTHER ANIMALS

 **MIDNIGHT –** a star-gazing badger who lives by the sea


	2. Chapter 2

**PROLOGUE**

Heathertail padded into camp with a rabbit in her jaws, she was exhausted from her hunt and just wanted to curl up in her nest and fall asleep. She dropped her catch on the freshkill pile and headed into the warriors den. Inside she found her mentor Crowfeather, after Ashfoot died he had been appointed deputy, small consolation for the exile of his mate and son. When Crowfeather whimpered Heathertail realized that he was having a nightmare, she expected it to be about his son being exiled but instead he cried out for Leafpool, the former ThunderClan medicine cat. He had loved her before he became mates with Nightcloud and had fathered three kits with her. With a sigh Heathertail lay down in her nest, she had hoped that Crowfeather would have gotten over his forbidden love.

When Heathertail drifted into sleep she found herself in the tunnels which ran under the moor and into ThunderClan territory. It was here that she had found her own love, forbidden just as Crowfeather's was. As she entered the moonlit cavern at the centre of the tunnels she saw him. Lionblaze, just the thought of him filled her with longing. She rushed to him with a purr; looking into his eyes she heard him purr back, "I love you Heathertail."

As she pressed herself against him she whispered, "I love you too Lionblaze."

With a jolt Heathertail awoke from her dream, she breathed in the lingering scent of her love. Thinking of her dream she removed herself from her nest. Careful not to wake her den-mates she stepped over Crowfeather, now soundly asleep, and pushed out of the entrance. Finally free from the confines of the camp she bounded across the moor, letting her paws carry her onwards. When she finally slowed she was at the entrance to the tunnels; remembering her dream she bounded inside. As she padded under the earth memories flooded through her mind. Happy ones like meeting Lionblaze, then Lionpaw, creating DarkClan and saving some kits when they wandered in but also sad ones. As she approached the moonlit cavern she caught a whiff of his scent, it was probably from the time he had stolen catnip. Strangely the scent grew stronger as she got closer to the cavern; she gasped as she realized that the scent was fresh, Lionblaze was here.

"I see I was right to suspect that you would try to attack us through here again," Lionblaze growled as Heathertail burst into the cavern. She could see hatred shining in his eyes and his hiss sent a shiver down her spine. Heathertail realized that she was scared, scared of the cat she loved most in the world. Quick as a snake, Lionblaze leapt at her with his claws unsheathed. Heathertail had barely scrambled out of the way before he was attacking again. With a shriek she leapt at him, caught unprepared he staggered back under his weight. Before he could even consider countering Heathertail's attack she leapt of his back, only to slam against the wall of the cave. Stunned she lay helpless as Lionblaze pinned her to the ground. As Lionblaze prepared to deliver the final blow their eyes met and something peculiar happened; the hatred melted out of Lionblaze's eyes to be replaced by a mixture of emotions, sadness, regret, longing and, buried under the others, love.

"You betrayed me when you revealed these tunnels, I'm mates with Cinderheart and it breaks the warrior code but I can't stop Heathertail, I-I can't stop loving you," Lionblaze choked out, seemingly on the verge of tears. Shocked Heathertail remained silent and long seconds passed. Crying, Lionblaze let Heathertail up, "I should go now he meowed," before running into one of the many tunnels that plastered the caverns walls. "Wait!" Heathertail yowled, "Wait, because I love you too!"

Unbeknownst to the two cats another stood in the shadows at the edge of the cavern. He had observed everything that had happened, just as he had observed for thousands of moons. His grotesque face framed bulging eyes, eyes that had seen everything, past, present and future. "When the lion hunts in heather, blood will save what words could not," he meowed to himself.


End file.
